The film “A League of Their Own.”

The film “A League of Their Own.”

            Many people have taken sports as a form of entertainment, while others are firmly attached to it since it is part of their hobbies. Cultural importance can be linked to sports, which is not realized by many people since they do not deeply look into the activity. America has gone through a long history relating to sports tournaments that can be used to know about its culture, an activity that acted as a mirror in establishing the societal issues of the particular region. In this case, the film, “A League of Their Own,” calls for the assessment of the American cultural view on the involvement of women in sports. Paradise, Nicholas. “A League of Their Own: A Feminist Interpretation of Women’s Sport in the US,” and Wendy Williams called “The Equality Crisis: Some Reflections on Culture, Courts, and Feminism,” are the articles that will be used to explore on women’s sports. Besides, “Deconstructing Equality versus Difference,” by Joan W. Scott will provide a solution to this cultural belief.

The film, “A League of Their Own,” shows the way the United States culturally operated during the 1940s through “All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL). This film was produced in 1992 by Geena Davis, where Penny Marshall was the director. In this film, women had been given a chance to participate in sports after males who had formed “Major League Baseball’s (MLB)” were taken to fight in World War II. From softball and farm leagues, women were assembled to take part in sports for the 1^st time so that they could financially support themselves. However, AAGPBL did not stay long since the war had ended; thus, it led to the redevelopment of MLB by males. This film shows the challenges that existed in sport’s career, especially relating to women athletes. Despite the availability of talented and strong women who could participate in sports, the society had held certain misconceptions about them. The American culture had given women certain characteristics that limited them from conducting certain activities, apart from motherhood. This challenge still exists in the current society where sportswomen are seen as incapable characters.

From this film, it can be noted that women have been denied a chance to take part in sports. According to Nicholas (5), the difference the society places on men and women is based on body movement and space. For instance, there are distinct ways in which a baseball is thrown by male and female gender since they both have knowledge about their physical characteristics. From the past, the American culture claimed that women throw the ball in a limited way without involving their whole body, where they just use one hand. This claim does not arise due to their muscle size but as a result of how the society has traditionally painted them. Such a mentality makes women lose focus and avoid some sports because they are aware that it suits men, who have higher abilities than them.

In the journal article “The Equality Crisis: Some Reflections on Culture, Courts, and Feminism” by Wendy Williams, she developed a concept of societal restriction that is created by individuals who belong to a certain community so that it can help them achieve various things (Williams 697). She further asserted that once these restrictions are developed, they become values that should be followed, for instance, the development of gender roles. In the article, she utilizes a court scenario, where men have been tagged as the sole providers of families, while women have been allocated a special place in the homestead. According to Wendy, such restrictions have dominated American society in relation to women’s sports.

According to the Williams’ article, she has described the gender idea that has dominated in the American society, where male duties have been equated to “attackers” as shown in sports while women engage in soft tasks, such as softball (Williams 699). This claim suggests that American society believes that in all games, sportsmen are seen as fighters who have been placed on the playing grounds. The link between battle and sport acts as a reinforcement to people’s strong standpoints on gender ideas. The frequent attachment of such words in the United States implies that the field of sport is only meant for the male gender. Besides, the language associates sports and men as completely similar, due to the traditional societal culture, where the battle is linked with masculinity. Also, this idea can be linked to women’s sports participants in the film, “A League of Their Own,” who are viewed as imaginary by society. The link between sport and masculinity develops negative images, where the female gender in American culture has been discouraged and restricted from taking part in sports. Such a mentality is contributed by their minimal masculinity and beauty, which has made them be seen as a delicate and weak group. This reason, therefore, explains why most women in American culture do not take part in some sports activities.

Williams’ concept of societal restriction is also seen in traditional American culture due to the introduction of baseball and softball meant for male and female genders, respectively. Recently, the media have been showing how softball is advancing due to the high participation of educational institutions, particularly the tertiary level. This practice shows that the female gender has gained victory, but there is still that separation that exists between it and baseball within the American culture. Due to the restriction, it will still be a big problem if women will start to actively engage in baseball, an activity that is meant for men. This argument supports the claim that there is a negative stereotype about sportswomen.

There are some contrasts between softball and baseball; in the American culture, softball is easier and utilizes less energy. Females may have been encouraged in the American society to engage in sports activity, as shown in the film “A League of Their Own,” but the disparities that exist indicate the already established notions on gender. However, there may be an absence of open discouragement on women to chase them out from sports due to some transformations, but in reality, they are pushed towards easier and less skilled games, such as softball, which is a replica of baseball. This action shows that society is hesitating to face reality; both genders have equal sports’ potential, rather than assuming it. The societal restriction, therefore, has made the state to lag due to the unwillingness of leaving some traditions. Such beliefs will restrict the state from advancement since one group is viewed to be physically superior, making both male and female genders to be placed in different sport groups. I support the differences that exist between men and women due to the unequal biological reactions, which defines masculinity and femininity. It is time we should avoid basing on such characteristics on women’s sport, by transforming some factors so that the gap can be minimized.

Moreover, the gap that exists in sports and gender can be eliminated based on the article “Deconstructing Equality Versus Difference,” by Joan W. Scott. First, people must know that these stereotypical sports notions are temporal, but American society is rigid in welcoming change, despite having a lot of mistakes. Since these values are not permanent, it means that some alternatives and options can be taken to straighten women’s sports. In Scott’s article, she bases on how the issue can be effectively handled.

When Scott’s model is linked to societal values towards women’s sport, it addresses and provides solutions about traditional values such as “patient female,” and “strong male.” This theory outlines the major aspects; deconstruction, difference, discourse, and language that should act as focal points in attempts of solving matters related to women’s sports (Scott 760). First, language is the best tool for conveying information, where it is utilized to transfer sense to different individuals to transform wrong societal practices. According to Scott, there is a need to use effective communication in sports, that centers on societal restrictions and words. By doing so, male and female will have the best platform to relate together.

Additionally, discourse is a structure that refines individuals’ behavior in a particular society. The use of this element in a given time enables the grasping of what seems to be true. For instance, the common views concerning human development that refines individuals understanding about masculinity, hence being equated to high sport potential. Besides, the difference is the idea that “meaning is made through explicit or implicit contract…” (Scott, 760). The difference determines how individuals disclose themselves to each other. This element can be understood based on how masculine and feminine were initially described to the extent that individuals believed they are the opposite of each other. The solution to women’s sport is to utilize similar techniques, so the societal restriction in the American culture can also be taken in a different way, where it would be viewed as false opinions. Besides, the deconstruction element can solve women’s sport where feminine and masculinity must be critically analyzed to determine possible errors in it, hence avoiding the notion that they are exclusive aspects.

In conclusion, the film “A League of Their Own” uses women’s sport to show how feminism developed earlier in American culture, which still exists in this society. This notion is present even though many movements advocate for equal opportunities for both genders. Nicholas and Williams’s articles have been used to explore women’s sport where females are treated in an inferior way due to the issue of masculinity. The presence of societal restriction in American society has made sport to be highly attached to the male gender. This notion has dissuaded women’s participation in sports due to a focus on athletic potential. However, Scott encourages that societal restrictions are not permanent; hence, it can be changed with time. In support of her claim, she establishes essential elements, which can be utilized to achieve the goal. These elements are deconstruction, difference, discourse, and language.